Underframe.



v. M. SUMMA UNDBRFRAME.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT-3,1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.4

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

n. W M

l m A Tr & i1

i wmwm wAHHH & r

R a H t WITN E5555 v. M. SUMMAV.

UNDERFRAMB. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3,1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

3 SBEETS-BHEET 2.

I INVENTOR lzcf nfiffumma WITNESSES ATTORNEY V. M. SUMMA.

UNDERFBAME. APPLIOATION rILnn SEPT.3,19172.

Patented July 8,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITN ESSES INVENTQR 2 /051: 7771 J'u, 771771 4.

ATTORNEY UN ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR IM. SUMMA, OF ST. 7 LOUI S, MISSOUEI, ASSIGNOB. TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

UNDERFRAME.

\ Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 8, 1913.

Application filed September 3, 1912. SerialNo. 718,332.

To (HZ whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR M. SUMMA, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Underframes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to-usethe same, reference being had-to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to person skilled in the art. In said drawings: Figure 1 is a-longitudinal section on the line l 1 of Fig. 3 of an underframe embodying my invention with the forward -end of the draft sills cut away to show the position of the front follower stop, the rear follower stop being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a continuation-of Fig. 1 showing a side view of the car in full lines. Fig. 3 is aa-plan View of .the underframe with the flooring removed one-halfbeing in section. Fig. 4 is anend view on the line4+4 ofJ'Fig'. 3; including -onehalf of the end sill in full lines and the section b'eingt-aken on a line in front of the, bolster looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5'is a fragmental view on the section line 5 5 of-Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6 shows a section as if taken on the line (3*6 of Fig. 3 looking, in the direction of the arrow and illustrating the first and the center needle beam in full "lines and also illustrating the form of censectionalvi ew taken on an imaginarv ,sec-

ti'on-linejtrt forwardly of; the bolster,.between tl'ie'belstee and eud sill. k i

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in underframe construction for' cars and more particularly to certain novel details of construction. relative to the center sills, bolsters and cross bearers, and comprehends in its construction the elimination of the conventional center sill as now used in railroad car construction, the elimination of cover plates and of the webs in the said center sill construction connecting the truss members thereof and the utilization of needle beams and through crossbearers distributed at suitable intervals across the underframe and attached to suitable struts of the center sill trusses.

This invention a-lsocomprehends in its construction the utilization of apair of channel sections, the flanges of which :extend in a vertical plane and. the webs ofwhich face each other and are spaced apart 7&-

drawings, the end sills l", the side sills 2 and the draft sills 33 are of usual form used in underframe construction of rolled commercial sections and will only be used herein in combination as elements to produce a commercial underframe and therefore need no description further than to say that the side sills 2 are of the Z-shaped type andthat the draft sills bear the usual draft gea-rstops.

The center sill construction comprises two main members 4 and 5 which arein the form of the usual 12 inch commercial channels and in this construction are arranged back 100'.

to back or so that the flanges of the channels shall. lie in practically the same vertical plane on opposite sides of the channels. The

upper" one of these channels, 4, is designed to errtend beyond andvthrqugh the bolsters 105 at.;each end offth e'car and formthe' uppe'r chord .of a 'tI'J ISSZWhQIGl H the lower: channel.

which is also desig-nedito extend beyond and throeghthebolsters at; either end of the car; I 15 designed form the lower chord. ofj-the 1110 truss, the said channels being spaced apart at suitable intervals by struts 6 and 7 in form of a flanged diaphragm ,of a width corresponding to the web of the truss forming members. The forward ends of the truss members, as'l have before said, extend through the bolsters and are of the usual Commercial size (12 inch channels) and also penetrate a certain distance within the draft sills and if desired may form a rear follower stop. To compensate the relative difference in spacing between the center sill construction and the draft sill construction, which is 12% inches, a pair of channel shaped members 8 are inserted between the draft sills and the center sill construction and are designed to embrace the draft sills and lie outside of the center sill channels. As these channel sections are not of sufficient thickness to entirely compensate the difference in spacing between the channel members of the center'sill construction and the spacing of the draft sills, suitable filler plates 9 are inserted between the center sill members and the channel member 8. It will therefore be seen that the channel'member 8 acts practically as a splice late between the center sill channel mem-' ers and the draft sill channel members and that it also affords a suflicient riveting area for the proper connection'between thecenter and draft sills and eliminates the necessity of cover-plates and permits of a uniform spacing between the draft, sills regardless of the thickness of the plates used and at ,the same time rigidly'secures thetruss frame'construction to the draft sills'and forms a center sill from end to end of the car. This construction forms an effective bolster filler as will be more fully described hereafter.

*The bolsters are composed of flanged diaphragms 10 'a'nd 11 placed backt'o back and formeddeeper 'at the center than at the sides. The bolsters are suitably secured to the side sill and to the center splice plate 8 and are rigidly connected together by upper and lower bolster cover plates 12 and 13 extendingacross the top;and bottom of the center sill construction, the: lower .plate 13 carrying the eenter'plate 22 and king pin socket"23.-

The bolster tiller comprises 5 ti 'p and" the upper bottem thinn ng and 5 1r and lowerchord of the tion; are. arm in each m nne that the flaw S IIcQh YuP back 'to' back gf thesaid channels attach. side .lof lthe r lo'rigitudinal center extend infthe samegv ertical plane.

I extend to t e plane of the to The channels of the center sill'ex't'nd within the s lice plate channels 8, andl-he tops of the an es of the said channel sections and bottom flanges of V the splice p ate channels,

thereby bringing the webs of the said center sill channel members close together within the splice plate channels and within the draft sills and forming a bridge piece or filler across the draft sills and splice plate where the bolsters intercept the same. The lower bolster cover plate 13 is adapted to carry the center casting and king pin socket 22, and a projection. 23 of the said socket extends upward joining and being fixed to the web of the bottom chord of the center sill construction, thereby formingan effective and simple bolster filler without the use 'of the usual bolster filler casting- To render this construction more rigid. the center sill flanges are fixed by rivets through the splice plates, filler plates and draft 'sills to the inner bolster flanges.

The cross bearers employed in this con-. struction are of two forms; a channel shape section 14, which in car terminology might be called a needle beam and tapered flanged diaphragms 16 and 17, deeper at the center than at the point where they join the side sills. The cross bearers and needle beams 11 are arranged to extendfrom side sill to side sill and are rigidly secured to alternate struts of the center sill construction and to the top chord 4 of the same. The compound cross bearers comprising the flanged diaphragms 16 and 17 are so arranged that the vertical flanges of each abut and are riveted togetherand to a second and fourth strut of the center sill construction, and are further secured together by a tie plate 25 attached to the upper flanges and to the top chord 4 of the center sill construction. The smaller end of these cross bearers are intended tobe secured to the side sills. It will therefore be apparent I that the cross bearers composed of the flange'd diaphragms form practically a rigid connection from side sill to side sill.v This construction of cross bearer has been adopted as it is possible to obtain two of such diaphragms from thesame sheet of metal with comparatively little waste. A flanged plate 18 carried by the truss is designed to carry the floating lever fulcrum 19, and a flanged plate 20 also carried by the center sill con- 5 struction, is designed to carry a bracket 21 which supports the brake reservoir cylinder 26.. These plates 19 and QO'also assist in tying the center sill construction together. The center plate as I have said is carried by the bottom. tie plate of the bolsterdiaphragm v} and the wall of the king pin socket123 is extended upward thercthrough and pro.

vided at-its upper end with a flange 24 which isadapted to be secured to the lower chord of the center sill construction by means of rivets or in any other suitable man- 1 ner, this permits, if desired, the perforating of the king pin socket wall for the ur ose of inserting a cotter pin to secure t e ing pin in place. It will therefore be seen that j the construction involved is very Simple and "ery light and very easily assembled and that the cross bearers being secured to the struts of the truss and to the side sills practically form a rigid support extending from one side to the other of the car. This construction of underframe is perhaps the lightest design in the market at the present time and is sufliciently strong to resist all the strains consequent to actual service.

What I claim is l. A car underframe including side, end and draft sills, bolsters and cross bearers, a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections arranged back to back and means for spacing said channels apart at suitable intervals to form a truss 2. A car underframe including side, end and draft sills, bolsters and cross bearers, a center sill construction comprising channel commercial sections arranged back to back and means for spacing said channels apart at suitable intervals to form a truss, the flanges of said sections lying approximately in the same vertical plane.

3. A car underframe including draft sills, bolsters and a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections arranged back to back and extending between said draft sills, the flanges of said commercial sections being fixed to the draft sills at each side of the bolster to space said draft sills within said bolster.

4. A car underframe including draft sills and bolsters, a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections with their webs arranged back to back and the flanges thereof at each side of said webs lying approximately in the same vertical plane and struts in the form of flanged diaphragms intervening and filling the space between the webs of said channel sections to form a truss.

5. A car underframe including draft sills and bolsters a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections with their Webs arranged back to back, the flanges thereof at each side of said Webs lying in approximately the same vertical plane, and flanged spacing plates embraced by the draft sills and acting as ties between said draft sills and the center sill construction.

6. A car underframe including draft sills and bolsters, a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections with vertically spaced webs and having at each side of said webs flanges in approximately the same vertical plane, flanged plates embraced by the draft sills, and filler plates between the said flanged plates and the channel section flan es, the said flanged plates acting as a tie between the draft SlllS and the center sill construction.

7 In a car underframe, a center sill construction comprising standard channel sectween and uniting the draft sills and the center sill construction.

8. In a'car underframe, a bolster, a center sill construction comprising commercial' channel sections horizontally arranged with their flanges oppositely disposed, and draft SlllS overlapping the same and extending through said bolsters, said draft sills being vertically arranged back to back and fixed to said commercial channel sections at each side of said bolsters.

9. In a car undcrframe, a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections horizontally arranged back to back, draft sills overlapping the same and vertically arranged back to back and splice plates in channel form vertically arranged back to back overlapping said channel sections and underlapping said draft sills.

10. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections horizontally arranged, telescoping draft sills and telescoping filler and uniting means for said elements, extending at each side of said bolsters, the bolsters being fixed to the said telescoping filler and uniting means.

11. In a car under-frame, an open truss center sill, the webs of the chords forming the same being arranged in horizontal planes, flanged diaphragm struts intervening and filling the space between said webs, and vertical reinforcing flanges along the edges of said chords.

12. In a car under-frame, an open truss center sill the Webs of the chords forming the same being arranged in horizontal planes, flanged diaphragm struts interven ing and filling the space between said webs, vertical reinforcing flanges along the edges of said chords, and cross bearers fixed to said diaphragms and the upper chord of the center sill.

13. In a car construction, a center sill comprising top and bottom commercially rolled channels spaced apart, and a continuous floor beam connected directly to the web of said top channel.

14. A car underframe including bolsters and a center sill construction comprising commercial channel sections arranged back to back, draft sills overlapping said channel sections, upper and lower tie plates for said bolsters and a center casting and king pin socket fixed to one of the said tie plates and to one of the said commercial channel sections.

15. In a car construction, an open truss center sill comprising vertically spaced commercially rolled channels having oppositely ting edges and sill truss and rigidly disposed flanges, and a continuous floor beam fixed to the web of the upper channel of said center sill.

16. A car underframe including end, side and draft sills, bolsters and a center sill construction, cross bearers, comprising flanged metal sections deeper at the center than at the sides and secured together at their. abutting edges and extending through the center sill construction and fixed to side sills.

17. A. car underframe including end, side and draft sills, bolsters and a center sill construction, cross bearers comprising flanged metal sectionsdeeper at the center than at the sides and secured at their abutextending through .the center sill construction" and fixed to the top chord of the center sill construction, to the struts of the center sill construction and to the side sills. i v

18. A car underirame includin end and side sills, bolsters and a center si construction,'and crossrbparers comprising abutting flanged metal diaphragms secured at their abutting edges and extending through the center sill construction, the said cross bearers being fixed within the center sill con-' struction to said center sill and also fixed to the side sills.

19 ..A car underframe including end, side and draft sills, bolsters,- a. center sill construction and side-sill supporting members extending between the chords of the center means connectthe upper chord thereof, and

mg said members with the lower 'chbrd thereof. p

20. In a car underframe including bolcross \bearers comprising tapered flanged metal sections secured at their abutting edges and extending through.the center sill construction and fizted to the top chord of the center Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

midis. tie bar uniting secured directly to sills, and to the side sills,-a tie bar uniting the tops of the said sections.

In a car underframe including bolsters and a trussed center sill, cross bearers comprising tapered flanged metal sections secured at their abutting edges and extending through the truss center sills and fixed to a top chord of the center sills and to the side;sills, and to a strut of the center sills,

the top of said sections.

22. In a car underframe including bolsters a truss center sill, cross bearers comprising tapered flanged metal sections secured at their abutting edges at the median line of the underframe, a tie bar uniting the upper flanges of said sections, said cross bearers being fixed to the truss center sill within the same.

23. In; an underframe, prising compression and widely spaced intermediate their ends, crossbeareiscomprising separately formed diaphragms abutting between said tension and compression members, eachdiaphragm being connected with said compression member, and means connecting both diaphragms with said tension member.

24. In an underframe, a center sill comprising compression and tension members wideIy spaced intermediate their ends, crossbearers comprising separately formed diaphragms abutting between said tension and compression members, each diaphragm being connected with said compression memr, and splicing means lapping said diaphragms and connecting them with said tenav center sill oomsion member. v i

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR M. SUMMA. Witnesses Oscar Hoonnnao, I A. Mmmnz. v

addressing the Commissioner of intents,

Washington, D. 0."

tension members. 

